The House on the Rock

God Saves Podorojniy Family From Airplane Crash

The evening of February second, Dennis and Marina Podorojniy were flying home to Tashkent via Russia on an Aeroflot A-231 flight 163 out of Moscow.
 
After three hours in flight the chief air steward announced that the airplane had changed its course because of some technical difficulties and would have to return to and ditch the airplane at Sheremetievo-2, the port of origin. The passengers were told this with only an hour before the attempt to land would be made. 

      
With 15 minutes left before landing, another announcement sounded; "The hydraulic system of the airplane is damaged and the airplane will have to make a crash landing on land. All passengers should follow the instructions of the air steward."

The word "on land" meant the landing would happen on the ground without undercarriage. When a hydraulic system of an airplane is damaged there is a high probability that the landing gear will not engage. The pilots believed that if they were able to somehow discharge the gear the landing would be very hard and the undercarriage could break causing the airplane to bank abruptly. But if they attempted a landing without the undercarriage a strong blow would certainly follow and the airplane could catch fire and even collapse. 
 
All the passengers were shocked and many had begun to cry. The air stewards stood in the aisle explaining to the passengers how to be prepared for the crash landing. They showed the passengers how they should take off their shoes and ties and put on their warm clothes and when they hear a special command to sit bowed over in their seat. One of the stewards was next to Pastor Dennis. Later he told him that he had never experienced anything like this in 28 years working in aviation. It was a first for the rest of the crew as well.   
 
Pastor Dennis and his wife prayed together for their safety but also prepared their hearts to meet the Lord anyway. The danger of the situation was very real.  "Most of all we thought about eternity and our children at that moment," Dennis said. "There were some moments when fear and confusion came to my mind. I remember when I took off my shoes and tie I realized how serious the situation was. But in spite of the dangerous conditions I had peace in my heart from the very beginning."

Dennis said he began to confess the Bible verse from Psalm 37:5 which says, "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this," and other verses that affirm Gods constant presence. He said that they could only trust in God. He continued, "After facing this danger any person could understand how unprotected and dependent on Him we really are. Self-confidence and bravery disappeared from the arrogant passengers at once."

Marina Podorojnaiy said, "There were moments that terrified me and I trembled. But I prayed to the Lord and expected a word from Him. I proclaimed that Jesus was the ruler of the airplane. When the airplane was about to land I realized clearly we would not crash and the undercarriage would go out in time. After that, the fear left me...my knees stopped trembling and I opened my eyes and became straight on my seat."

After Dennis and Marina prayed to God the request sounded over the intercom for men to help with the passenger evacuation. The steward standing next to Dennis asked him to sit near one of the emergency exits. He instructed him that when the airplane landed Dennis was to open the exit door and shout to the people, "Run up to me! Jump! Get out of the way!" Dennis was ready to carry out all the instructions given to him. Later he shared his revelation with believers that everyone who knows where the gate of salvation is understands the responsibility to call people to God: "Run to Jesus! Jump after him! Run away from sin and death!"

      
At the moment when the steward was giving the instructions to Dennis, Marina was uneasy about what he was saying and concerned for her husband. She said she thought, "He is my husband and I do not want him to be at risk and be the last to jump out. We have children and they are waiting for us! But then I thought that it was Dennis choice to stand by the exit and I would keep silent and pray."

      
Then the two prayed together for a smooth landing and God did a miracle. The undercarriage went out at the last moment and the airplane landed safely. Marina said, " The landing was so smooth as if our Lord Himself held our plane in His hand."

All the passengers began to applaud and the airplane was met by many fire and ambulance personnel at the Moscow airport. It is a great testimony of how God protects his children in any situation, and that in such cases believers can better control themselves and be an example for others.

P.S. As far as we know none of the Media was ever informed about this incident.

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